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How to know if you have FOMO syndrome (fear of missing out)
Psychology
Are you always glued to your mobile for fear of missing something? Don’t you turn it off even in situations that invite you to enjoy other things? You most likely have this syndrome …
We all like to be “connected”, but not every moment is valid to be “hooked” on the mobile phone. For example, if we are meeting for a drink on a terrace with a couple of friends, why is there usually someone who does not take off the phone? Or in a theater, where someone’s device almost always rings, in breach of the rules that dictate that it must be turned off or put in airplane mode before the show, and that not only does it ring … some even dare to answer that call or message.
When in certain situations in which the mobile phone It should be stored in the pocket, turned off or simply turned around because what we have in front of us is much more important,
interesting and more relevant but the vice of unlocking it and checking what notifications have arrived has a name and is known as síndrome del FOMO (fear of missing out).
Claudia Gómez, a general health psychologist, says that this syndrome, whose acronym in English means “fear of missing something”, is characterized by a fear that has always existed and will exist in our society: fear of being left out. «It is a mixture of feelings of anguish, discomfort and frustration at the subjective perception of be missing an event or important situation while others are enjoying it ».
And you will ask yourself: if I am with the mobile all day and I only disconnect it to sleep and while I work does it mean that I have the sinus FOMO? The answer is no. The psychologist Claudia Gómez wants to emphasize that she is not in favor of putting labels on everything that happens to us, since on many occasions “they do us no good and only generate more anguish or concern”: “Putting a label on us can make our behaviors , thoughts and emotions are conditioned by it and, therefore, limit us. For example: not by feeling sad 2-3 days a week it means that you have depression, “he clarifies.
However, there are a number of aspects that can help us to become aware:
– Feelings of anguish to the feeling of missing an important event.
– Fear of social isolation and feel rejected.
– Feelings of loneliness and sadness.
– Check the mobile and social networks too frequently in search of new notifications.
– Feeling of wasting time by not doing what others are doing.
– Isolation for being more aware of the new notifications of our mobile.
– Low self-esteem due to excessive comparison with public figures on social networks.
Distress over the phone
These days, we find it strange not to see someone 24/7 with their “smartphone” glued to their hand. We have normalized this fact so much that on many occasions we feel discomfort when we do not have a mobile phone nearby.
When we feel a very intense need to spend all day with the mobile phone, we can identify with some of these aspects:
— Restlessness if you don’t have your mobile close by when it’s time to eat or sleep.
– Can not To fall asleep if the phone is not turned on.
— Check out of new notifications in social networks and messages.
— Constantly check the home screen for new messages.
– Restlessness or nervousness if I do not leave home with him 100% battery or if it runs out.
These aspects, over the years, could intensify and generate great emotional discomfort and loss of our well-being. “Don’t hesitate to ask for psychological help if you need to manage some of these aspects,” says Claudia Gómez (@psicologiacon_clau).
Habits for letting go of the phone
As Gabriela Paoli, psychologist and author of the book «Digital health: keys to a healthy use of technology» explains, to fight against something, we must first know what it is: «The first step is be aware that we are falling into this syndrome and that can affect our productivity and even our health. It can create anxiety and nervousness in more extreme cases since feeling that we can miss something, can generate a lot discomfort in certain people».
Once we are aware, we should reflect and accept that we are falling into this behavior and implement certain strategies to try to control ourselves. “We will have to make an effort to reverse this trend or automatism and, to maintain that will and commitment, it is necessary to look for a good motivator, for example, imagine everything you can do when you acquire the habit of disconnecting”, says the psychologist Gabriela Paoli .
Since the best habit that we can implement in our day to day to reduce the use of the mobile phone is to become aware of the time we spend “glued” to it and thus be able to self-regulate its use. «The key is to become aware of the time we spend on the phone sending messages, checking social networks or watching videos. Once we know that the use we make of the mobile phone is excessive, we can manage it and divide it », says Claudia Gómez. How can we do it?
Set a schedule. «Rationalize its use. As we do with the hours of work or the time we spend with our friends, why not do the same with the mobile phone? “, Suggests the expert in psychology.
It is important to know that receiving a WhatsApp or a call does not necessarily require a Inmediate attention. That is why we can afford not to answer the call at that time and postpone it for later. «I advise deactivate WhatsApp’s double blue check because on many occasions, without realizing it, this generates a false sense of control », recommends Claudia Gómez.
At the time of the food or dinnerTry not to take your mobile with you and not leave it on the table, try to enjoy the present moment with those around you at that moment and enjoy food and a good conversation.
If you feel overwhelmed by repeated calls or messages, you can allow yourself a moment of rest, leave the mobile in another part of your house or put it for a few minutes in airplane mode.
According to the World Health Organization, sleeping with your mobile near us can be detrimental to our health in the long run. Mobile devices emit a series of low-power radio frequencies that can have medium-long-term effects on our health. To this day, it continues to be studied and investigated in search of greater evidence on what the medium-long-term consequences for our health may be. If, by chance, we clear up at night and take the mobile that is on the table, surely we get more distracted by looking at a message, so it is convenient to put the airplane mode or remote.